Need to know if my old laptop can support SSDs

[xcel_jkl]

My dad has an old HP Pavilion DV2000 and was planning to buy an SSD for him for christmas. Anybody know if the old laptop can support SSDs before I put down the money? Thanks!

 

[dutchling]

If it supports 2.5" hard drives than it should in theory, support an SSD.

 

[RetiredChief]

Add to that that HDD support includes "SATA" HDD as it is very hard to find a PATA (IDE the OLD wide data connection) SSD.
Depending on age it could use a IDE HDD and a IDE DVD drive. Laptops first migrated to SATA HDD and Pata DVD drives -> both being SATA.

 

[xcel_jkl]

Add to that that HDD support includes "SATA" HDD as it is very hard to find a PATA (IDE the OLD wide data connection) SSD.
Depending on age it could use a IDE HDD and a IDE DVD drive. Laptops first migrated to SATA HDD and Pata DVD drives -> both being SATA.

I guEss im just worried about a new ssd not working despite the laptop using 2.5" and sata connections but the motherboard itself doesnt recognize ssds. For example if i needed to update motherboard drivers just for it to recognize the latest ssds.

 

[RetiredChief]

Nomally for recognizing an SSD, if it recognizes a HDD it will also recognize an SSD.
There are no "drivers" other than what are required for a HDD as far as OS is concerned.
IE I bought a PATA SSD (8 gig replaCED A 2 gIG scsi hdd - LOLs) and installed it in an really old pentium 133 windows 3.11 systyem.
Had No problems installing a SSD in an older laptop that used a sata HDD and a PATA DVD drive.

What operating system. If vista or Windows 7 the Default driver msahci is fine. Difference here is vista does no0t support trim, windows 7 does. Not a reall biggy, just that the internal Garbage collector on SSDs works better with trim.

For Windows XP you may need to download a "F6" driver. If intel based Chip[set can get from either intel, or Laptop Manuf support website (intel site probably a better bet. Check what HD chipset the MB uses.

 

[xcel_jkl]

Best answer selected by xcel_jkl.